Dubai: A student was handed a six-month suspended jail sentence for punching a driver and causing him permanent hearing impairment following a road rage incident.
The 51-year-old Pakistani driver, who works for a public department, was driving when the Jordanian student tailgated him and flashed the high beam to give him way in February.
Not being able to respond swiftly, the Pakistani continued driving before the Jordanian intentionally hit his vehicle from the rear side.
The outraged student then jumped out of his car, indulged in a heated argument with the driver and punched him on his ear.
The Pakistani man called the police, who later summoned the student for questioning.
On Monday, the Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the Jordanian defendant to six months in jail for punching the driver and causing him a 10 per cent permanent disability in his ear.
Citing grounds of leniency, presiding judge Urfan Omar suspended the jail term for a period of three years during which the crime should not be repeated.
The Jordanian had pleaded not guilty and contended that he did not cause the disability. “We had a heated argument that developed into a fight … we brawled, but I am sorry and I didn’t mean to assault him,” he told the court.
According to the primary judgement, the defendant will be deported.
The Pakistani driver told prosecutors that the defendant suddenly appeared behind him and wanted him to give him way at 10.30am.
“I was not able to respond quickly and give him way … suddenly he hit my vehicle in the back. Then he jumped out of his car, came towards me and shouted at me. Then he gave a hard blow on my ear … he got angrier when he saw me clicking pictures to document the damages that he had caused to the public-department car that I was driving. He also snatched the phone away from my hand … my co-worker intervened and stopped him from continuing his assault. Then he kicked me in my waist. I called the police and reported to them what had happened … but after waiting for a period, my co-worker and I drove to the police station. We told them what had happened, but I was asked to return to the accident location,” he testified.
Monday’s ruling remains subject to appeal within 15 days.